1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locking pins which are utilized to hold two parts of a machine together. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible locking pin which can be compressed to fit into a hole smaller than the pin's external dimensions and has a protective cover secured to the end of the pin to which force is applied to insert the pin into the hole.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Locking pins have been used for almost as long as machinery has been made as a means of holding two different parts together. However, in some instances it is difficult to arrange the parts so that the holes in the two parts through which the locking pin is to be inserted completely align, and it is therefore necessary to use the pin itself to force the holes into alignment. In the past, a pointed pin has been used for the purpose of wedging the pieces into alignment to solve the problem.
In some instances there can be a problem in which even though the holes can be forced into better alignment they cannot be completely aligned, or the holes may be slightly smaller than the pin to be inserted in them, or the holes may be deformed as a result of the parts being utilized in destructive environments. In these specialized cases, there is a need for a flexible and expandable pin which can be driven into a misaligned or deformed pair of holes so that when the pin aligns the holes it will fill them and provide a secure interlock between the parts to maintain the alignment and to keep the pin from dropping out of the hole. Locking pins must be inserted into the alignment holes with force. It is safest to insert them with hydraulic pressure, but usually they must be inserted in the field by hammering on one end of the pin. Often pieces splinter off of the end as a result of this hammering and this poses a serious danger to the operator or bystanders. The present invention solves these problems as well as being able to be inserted into holes slightly smaller than the extended maximum diameter of the pin.